Our first trip to France was with Connoisseur Cruisers, and was in effect
a package, as it included both flights and transfers to and from the
boatyard. The first day was a fiasco. We were left behind by the
minibus at the airport and had to organise our own taxi to the boatyard,
which was closed for lunch when we arrived. No-one at the boatyard spoke
English, so our introduction to a type of boat that was completely new to
us was in a language that we barely understood. Oh and the groceries
that we ordered hadn't appeared either - hardly an auspicious start !
That said, once we left the boatyard, the rest of the holiday was great,
and if you want to see footage of the Fonserrannes Boat Lift in action,
click here !. Anyway when we got back, I wrote to Connoisseur setting
out the complete shambles that had been the first day of our holiday.
They then did what might just have been their best bit of PR ever.
Firstly, they responded by return of post (no email in those days),
secondly they put their hands up and admitted that they had got it wrong,
big-time. Thirdly, they offered appropriate compensation, in the form of
a weekend "as their guests" on the Broads, albeit out of peak season.
Happy with their response, we decided to book with them again in '91.
We've been with them ever since.

The aforementioned explains why Connoisseur (latterly Le Boat) is the
only company referred to in these pages. We've simply never felt the
need to go elsewhere.